Available today for a starting price of $1,149, we got some hands-on time with a pre-production unit. While our overall impressions of the ultrabook were positive, there are some rough spots we hope Fujitsu polished out before today's launch.

Fujitsu has equipped the Lifebook U772 with a healthy selection of ports, including full-sized HDMI output, two USB 3.0 ports (one with sleep and charge capability), and an SD card reader. On the palmrest is an integrated fingerprint reader, and a slim port connects to a Gigabit LAN Ethernet adapter. The U772 also offers scads of security, with Intel Anti-Theft Technology, Computrace BIOS Persistence Module, BIOS and HDD Password Protection, and a Kensington lock. Throw on top of this several business-grade security features, like Intel Core vPro, and an integrated Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip, in addition to the biometric fingerprint sensor on the palmrest. This fall, the U772 will also get a boost to its mobile offerings with optional 3G WWAN in addition to the current 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

The preproduction unit we had for this hands-on features a third-generation Intel Core i5-3427 (1.8GHz) dual-core processor, paired with 4GB of RAM. Though it's a low-voltage processor, the performance gains seen with Intel's new processors made for performance on par with standard volt Sandy Bridge processing, and improved graphics processing with Intel HD Graphics 4000. Fujitsu also offers the Lifebook U772 with a third-generation Intel Core i7 processor.

Our system came with a 256GB solid-state drive (SSD), but the Lifebook U772 is also available with a 500GB spinning hard drive with 32GB flash memory cache. The Lifebook U772 leverages the responsiveness of solid-state memory to offer fast wake with Intel Rapid Start Technology and ExpressCache, and powers it all with up to seven hours of battery life.

The Lifebook U772 has a lightweight magnesium alloy housing, slimmed down even further with a "frameless" bezel. The 14-inch screen offers 1,366-by-768 resolution, which is standard on ultrabooks. The bezel surrounding the screen is so thinat 3.5mm thickthat the 14-inch display resides in a 13-inch chassis. Measuring only 0.69 by 12.7 by 8.9 inches (HWD) and weighing a mere 3.15 pounds, the Lifebook U772 is slim and portable, lighter than even the HP Folio 13-1020us ($899.99 list), our current Editors' Choice among business ultrabooks.

The palmrest is brushed aluminum painted black, and above the keyboard, the chassis is etched with an angular abstract pattern. The keyboard, though it offers the same shallow typing experience we've seen on other ultrabooks, adds an interesting touch for typiststhe home keys, F and J, are distinguished not just by raised bumps on the keys, but the keys have a smooth surface, giving them a tactile difference from the matte finished keys used on the rest of the keyboard.

The touchpad has a clickable surface, with right- and left-click buttons integrated into the touchpad. The mouse has an interesting inertia feature, where a quick flick of the finger will send the cursor moving, and continuing after the finger has left the touchpad. While many will find it useful, it's just as likely that some will find it maddening. Undoubtedly frustrating, at odd intervals during our hands-on testing, the clickpad would stop registering clicks, though it continued to track cursor movements. Where this is a preproduction unit, hopefully the mouse experience has been improved already.

With a handful of business-class security features, the power-efficient performance of Intel's latest processors, and an abundance of storage options, the Lifebook U772 makes for a strong first entry into the business ultrabook space, though we hope that Fujitsu has worked out the issues with its finicky clickpad.

Brian Westover is an Analyst for the Hardware Team, reviewing laptops, desktops, and storage devices.
As a child, Brian was frequently asked "What do you want to be when you grow up?" His answer alternated between Superman and Batman. This was cute when he was five, but worrisome at seventeen. Naturally, he is now a journalist, writing about technology and gadgets.
Brian has been writing professionally since 2007, and his work has appeared in business newsletters, websites, textbooks, and magazines. He earned his degree in Communications from...
More »